5.G-Pete's P-38MThis is the build diary of a replica of the P-38M-5-LO night fighter serial number 44-27234
Built in spring of 1944 the P-38L 5-LO 7234 was delivered by the WASP to the Lockheed Modification Center in Dallas Texas.
The pilots of the Modification Center test flew the airplane in July of 1944.
The 7234 was assigned to the 319th wing at Hammer Field, California, to participate in night fighter training.
The airplane proved to be suitable for night combat. Next to the P-80’s and P-61 the handling and speed was superior.
Four weeks later the 7234 arrived in Dobodura, New Guinea, and was assigned to the 418th Night Fighter Squadron.
A total of 10 P-38 came in that morning, after a long flight using the large drop tanks.
Col. James H. Porter remembers when the first units arrived:
We used the P-38M’s because many of the day fighter people were not trained to fly instruments, and our boys were quite good at instruments, for that time.
We could fly at night without killing ourselves, which was rather remarkable in those days – so we started to fly the 38’s --- never looked back.
Later on Col. Porter shot down a Val dive-bomber near Mandang. The Val was approaching an airstrip held by the Japanese in Alexishafen. He approached the Val in 400 feet altitude and sending the enemy down with 3 bursts of the four. 50cal.
The remaining reports show a total of 64 night missions and patrols.
After the reassembly of the 418th Night Fighter Squadron at Atsugi, Japan, in January 1945 were the P-38M did not see any action. One airplane was lost near Fukuoka, Japan, because of “mechanical failure”. The pilot admitted later in an interview he flu to low and the prop tipped into the water causing a stall. No serious injuries reported.
In February the 7234 (the crew called her Betty page) was ordered to the 421 NFS at Fukuoka, Japan, this HQ was very short lived and the remaining 3 P-38’s were flown to the 45th service group at Clark Field in the Philippines on March 8th, where they ultimately turned into scrap.
The model has a wingspan of 114 inches. It is powered with two 85cc 2-stroke engines - which swinging 25 inch counter rotating propellers.
